Menstruation in a newborn?

[Carmen2]

I was shocked seeing blood coming out from my DD2's vagina... it is not a lot, but there's a few drops every time I change her nappy. I called my nurse and she said that my baby is menstruating as she retained some of my hormones. Has anyone else experienced this with their baby? How long does it normally take for it to go away?

[Mildez]

Yes my DD1 had it. It was for a few days around the time she was 4-7days old. Then everytime I got my period she had a few tiny spots of pinky coloured blood. The dr said it was my mini pill causing it and of course she was getting it through the breast milk. That happened for 3months when I had my period then went. If it is Orange coloured like clay and speckley in appearance it could be whats called Urates which is also pretty common in the very young newborn. It comes out in the urine when they are dehydrated (usually before your milk comes in)

[Nicambhar]

Yep it's perfectly normal. My first DD had it for a day or two when she was a couple of days old. I was really shocked too.

[~Raven~]

My little girl had it too and I remember my nieces did also. Ruby had it from newborn till about a week.

[bon]

Yep, completely normal - its just hormones. See, we women are hormonal from birth!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

My DS retained my hormones and he had breast buds! DF was quite shocked but yes, all perfectly normal. It should go away soon. DS' breast buds took about six weeks to disappear but that's a bit different.

[Trillian]

Both my girls had it during their first week. You will be surprised at just how common it is - I think it would be more UNcommon for a baby girl NOT to have it.

[Carmen2]

Hmm, that's really interesting. It's funny how my mom and grandmother had no idea what I was referring to when I told them about DD2's menstruation... When I spoke with my nurse, she said that only some babies experience this. With DD1, she didn't experience it at all which is why I was completely shocked when I saw drops of blood coming out. I am now relieved to know that it is a common thing. Will she be getting this menstruation as a regular cycle for a few months or will a few days clear out my maternal hormones?

[Trillian]

Hard to say, for some it could last for a while longer yet, but for others it is only a once off kwim? But you know now that there is nothing wrong, so if it goes on for a while yet you wont be so worried next time.

[Willow]

My DD had it too for a day or so but I'd heard about it so I wasn't shocked at all.

[Papillon]

Oh wow. i never knew... wow. You learn something everyday!

[danniellabella]

I freaked out when I saw this. My DD also had a lot of EWCM and colostrum from her nipples when she was born. It went away within 10 days though.

[Ryatha]

The hospital warned me that it might happen so when there was little bit of blood with DD I didn't worry about it. Went away after about 1 week. Don't know if it comes back as we stopped BF at 4 weeks.

[Carmen2]

This is really an interesting issue. I wonder why my grandmother or mother didn't hear about it. Do you think it's something we eat these days causing the hormones to be pass down to them? Now that I know about it, I am really curious to know why babies would have it these days and not back in the old days...

[Evie76]

Yes. It's also the reason as to why when baby boys are born their (ahem) "nuts" are so large. They have, apparently, got a lot of their mother's hormones racing through their blood stream.

They eventually shrink to normal.

[Carmen2]

Well, I learn something new everyday... didn't know about that until today...

So glad that DD2's menstruation stopped... the blood was a horrific sight to me even though it's a typical thing I see when I get my cycles... I guess I am just not used to seeing it coming from DD!

[young_mumma87]

my mother told me that me and my sister did... so everytime i have a friend who is pregnant with a girl i warn them that they could get a "period" silly me forgot once and one on my friends had a girl and started to tell me thatshe had a "period" and i said oops i was ment to warn you about that!!!!

[Antheia]

Yes. It's also the reason as to why when baby boys are born their (ahem) "nuts" are so large. They have, apparently, got a lot of their mother's hormones racing through their blood stream.

They eventually shrink to normal.

Do you know when they go back to normal size? Because Orson who is 11.5 weeks old are still massive, like twice the size of Charlie's who is 2.5.